Contagious-germ incinerator



(No Model.) I H. S. WHITTON. GQNTAGIOUS GERM INGINERATOR. v

Patented Jan. 26

WITNESSES 'A omvlzys.

m: nuams pznms co. rumours-10., WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HELEN S. XVHITTON, OF FRUITVALE, CALIFORNIA.

CONTAGIOUS-GERM lNCINERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 575,940, dated January 26, 1897. Application filed May 18, 1896. Serial No. 591,991. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HELEN S. WHITTON, of Fruitvale, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented an Improved Contagious-Germ Incinerator, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to means for preventing the spreading of contagious-disease germs, and particularly to prevent the dissemination of bacilli that are germs of pulmonary consumption. It has been accurately determined by scientific investigators that pulmonary tuberculosis is produced and disseminated very frequently by inhalation of the germs of this disease. Many who are afflicted with the dreaded disease under consideration are unaware of the danger resulting to others from the source of contagion indicated, and carelessly expectorate on the floors of rooms in houses and public places. The result of such a practice is that the dried sputa is converted into dust-like particles, which incidentally pervade the air and are inhaled by persons who may be free from consumption, but whose lungs may be in a condition liable to receive infection from such disease-germs, so that there is constant liability of spreading the contagious infection from the bacilli of tuberculosis unless those suffering from the disease are induced to take measures to prevent such a result.

The object of this invention is to provide a novel portable device of simple and inexpensive construction which will afford convenient and reliable means for the radical destruction of tubercular-disease germs as they are expectorated by burning such infectious discharges.

The improved device for combustion of the napkins or other absorbent material Whereon the sputa is expectorated is adapted for speedy, convenient, and effective use by the diseased person, even if confined to bed, so that the contagious germs thrown off from the lungs of such a person will be cremated as they are expectorated, and therefore will be prevented from endangering the health and lives of others who are by force of circumstances brought into proximity with the consumpted sufferer.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, as is hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a partly-sectional side elevation of the improvement, showing one form form from a blank cut out of sheet metal. The

body or shell 10 is provided with a widened hollow base 11, that is in open communication with the bottom of said shell and may be integral therewith. The shell 10 is measurably closed by a centrally-apertured lid 12or 13, which may be raised substantially in the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or be depressed, as represented in Figs. 3 and 4. If constructed as indicatedin Figs. 1 and 2, the elevated lid is furnished with a flaring flange 12, that is the border for the central aperture for said lid, which circular orifice is normally closed by a removable cover-piece 12 At the .upper edge of the shell 10 a laterally-projecting flange a may be formed integral with the same; but for convenience in manufacture the flange mentioned is preferably constructed separately and affixed to the shellatits upper edge by anyavailable means. In the construction represented in Fig. 1 the flange a is furnished with a depending portion that is adapted to closely encircle the cylindric upper portion of the body orshell 10.

There is a flat flange a peripherally formed on the lid 12, having such a diameter as will adapt its edge to conform with the edge of the flange a, on which the flange a is clamped by screws (1 or by any other preferred means.

In Fig. 3 the lid 12 is somewhat altered from the lid already described, it being inverted from the outer edge to the edge of the central orifice therein, which is covered by the remov able cover 12 and the lid 13 is held in place on the shell 10 by an integral circular flange 72, that is bent down at the edge of said lid, as clearly shown in the figure named. The cover 12 should fit closely over and into the aperture of the lid 12 or 13 and have a knob 79 or other projection on its upper side to enable an operator to freely remove the cover, as occasion may require.

\Vithin the shell 10 a chafing-dish 14 is introduced before the lid 12 or 13 is secured in place, the dish being formed of sheet metal sufficiently thin to adapt it to become heated quickly when flame is applied to its lower surface. The chafing-dish 14 is in the form of a'hol-low hemisphere, or, in other words, is concavo-convex in shape, and at its free edge there are outwardly-projecting flanges or ears 0, formed on the dish, which rest on the projections (Z, that are inwardly extended from the shell 10.

There may be but a single continuous circumferential flange 0 produced on the upper edge of the chafing-dish 14, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, and in such a construction a series of spaced draft-holeseshould be formed in said flange, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. The circumferentially-projected single flange c or series of spaced flanges a hold the dish 14 concentric with and removed from the inner surface of the shell 10 by an engagement of the outer edge of the flange or flanges with said surface, so that an annular draftspace 9 is afforded between the shell and chafin g-dish.

In the wall of the shell 10, near its upper edge or flange a, a series of draft-perforations t' are formed, or said perforations may be produced in the lid, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and perforations for a like purpose are made in the Wall of the base portion 11, as shown at 11 in Figs. 1 and The source of heat provided for the incinerator device may consist of a lamp 15, adapted to consume alcohol or other fluid that is equally as good for combustion without smell or smoke, and if a lamp is used it may be held in the base of the shell by providing cars on the body of the lamp, which will pass through notches 7c in the annular baseflange 11 and by a partial rotation be locked beneath the clip-pieces m, that are fastened on the inner surface of the base-flange, or any other convenient means may be utilized for holding the lamp in the base of the incinerator-shell.

When circumstances will permit, it will be more convenient to utilize a Bunsen burner 16 on a gas-supply pipe 17 for heating the chafing-dish 14, as the heat will be more powerful and effect the desired object with greater celerity.

There is to be provided a bracket-shelf 18 (shown in Figs. 1 and 4) for support of the incinerator device when the user is bedfast, the bracket-shelf being secured close to hand on any stable object, such as the frame of the bed or side wall of the room, so that the incinerator, when in place on the shelf, may be readily reached and attended to by the invalid when there is occasion for its use.

To insure speedy combustion of the medium provided to receive the sputa for incineration, it is preferred to employ thin paper napkins, which may be successively used to expectorate in, and when used the napkin is to be folded so as to inclose the moist discharge and then introduced within the chafing-dish 14 through the aperture of the lid. and the cover-piece 12*, that has been removed to permit such a deposit of the soiled napkin, is restored directly after the lamp or gasburner is ignited.

If the device is placed on a table-top, (shown in part at 19 in Fig. 3,) it is best to provide a small asbestos mat 20 whereon to seat the incinerator, thereby avoiding danger of fire from a downward reflection of heat from the lamp or gas-burner.

It will be seen that the improved incinerator is small, neat in appearance, can be produced at a moderate cost, and will in service effectively consume to ashes the infection discharged from the diseased lungs of a consumptive person, thereby preventing a spread of the disease which might result from the inhalation of dried sputa that is expectorated and freely mingles in powdered form with the air to be breathed by other persons.

Having thus described my invent-ion, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A portable incinerator,comprising a closable shell of metal having a spheroidal lower portion and a widened hollow base, a spheroidal-shaped chafing-dish hung in said shell so as to afford a draft-passage around its outer surface, and a source of heat located in the base of the shell adapted to impinge flame and heat currents on the bottom of the chafing-dish, substantially as described.

2. A portable incinerator, comprising a 1101- low shell rounded in its lower portion, and having a hollow base, a lid for said shell, centrally apertured to permit access to the interior of the shell and having a flaring wall that converges to the aperture, the base and top of the incinerator havin g draft-passages therein, a cover for the aperture of the lid, a thinwalled chafing-dish hung concentric within the shell and having an annular draft-passage around it, and a source of flame and heat located in the base of the incinerator-shell, substantially as described. V

HELEN S. lVI-IITTON.

Vitnesses:

W. H. CORNELL, BEN F. WooLNER. 

